NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12 – Civil society organizations have condemned the violent disruption of a post-budget dialogue forum in Nairobi, describing the incident as an assault on democratic participation and an attempt to intimidate citizens and activists scrutinizing the government’s 2026/27 budget.
The meeting, held at All Saints Cathedral on Friday, brought together representatives from civil society, faith-based organizations, the private sector, and members of the public to discuss the national budget presented by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi before the National Assembly a day earlier.
According to Transparency International Kenya (TI-Kenya), a group of individuals described as “state-hired goons” stormed the forum while participants were assessing how well the budget addressed citizen concerns.
TI-Kenya said one of the assailants was arrested and allegedly claimed that they had been sent by a government official.
The organization also reported that valuables, including a mobile phone, were stolen during the disruption.
“We condemn this act of intimidation and assert that it will not deter us from scrutinizing the budget. We will continue to demand that the interests of the people of Kenya be at the forefront,” the organization said in a statement.
The incident has sparked outrage among rights groups and governance advocates, who warned that the use of violence to disrupt lawful public discussions threatens constitutional freedoms and democratic accountability.
The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) described the attack as a direct assault on citizens’ right to participate in public affairs and engage in discussions on how public resources are allocated.
“Goons cannot silence the people’s voice,” TISA said. “The use of violence and intimidation to silence public participation is an attack on democracy and the constitutional rights of all Kenyans.”
The organization argued that the incident reflects a troubling trend in which organized groups are allegedly deployed to disrupt civic activities and discourage public engagement on governance issues.
“This is not an isolated incident. The growing use of goons to disrupt lawful civic engagement and instill fear must be rejected by all who believe in democracy, accountability, and the rule of law,” TISA added.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), which was also represented at the meeting, echoed the condemnation, saying the disruption would not stop civil society organizations from examining government policies and budget priorities.
KHRC said the gathering had been convened specifically to evaluate whether the 2026/27 budget adequately responded to the concerns and needs of ordinary Kenyans.
“State-hired goons have stormed a meeting where the KHRC and other CSOs were discussing the 2026-2027 budget that was presented yesterday,” the commission said. “We condemn this act of intimidation and assert that it will not deter us from scrutinizing the budget.”
The rights groups maintained that public participation in governance processes, including budget oversight, is protected under the Constitution and remains essential in ensuring transparency, accountability, and equitable allocation of public resources.
The disruption comes amid heightened public interest in the government’s Sh4.8 trillion 2026/27 budget, which outlines spending priorities across key sectors including security, infrastructure, health, education, and social protection.
Despite the incident, the organizations vowed to continue engaging citizens on budget issues and holding government institutions accountable, insisting that no form of intimidation would deter them from advocating for policies that place citizens’ interests at the center of public spending.
